


i'm walking on moonbeams

by twohourstraffic



Series: take this sinking boat and point it home [9]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Future Fic, Hockey, Kid Fic, M/M, Minor Injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-17
Updated: 2016-04-17
Packaged: 2018-06-02 19:11:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6578956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twohourstraffic/pseuds/twohourstraffic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bitty takes the kids to watch Jack play. He worries a lot. Noah is grumpy. Gabi has picked up some choice catchphrases from her uncle.</p>
            </blockquote>





	i'm walking on moonbeams

Bitty is sitting on the sofa, trying his hardest to feed a bottle to a grumpy three-month old, when Jack walks in with his equipment bag over his shoulder, chewing the last mouthful of a PB&J. He sits down, kisses Bitty clumsily on the cheek, then gestures for the baby.

“Honey, I just got him to calm down, can’t you just –”

“Bits, I have to head to work soon. Can I just have him for a few minutes?”

“Fine, but if he cries, you’re dealing with it. It’s honestly taken me twenty minutes just to get him to take this bottle, I have no idea what’s wrong, but – anyway, you’ll see.”

Noah whimpers while he’s mid-air but looks veritably delighted to be sitting with his other father, settling comfortably into Jack’s chest and drinking from the bottle without making another sound. Bitty makes a face at Jack, who shoots him a grin over Noah’s head and kisses the baby’s cheek.

They sit in silence for a few minutes, Bitty with his head on his husband’s shoulder and softly stroking Noah’s arm.

Jack butts their heads together affectionately, then asks, “You’re coming to the game this afternoon, yeah? You haven’t come for so long. We’re playing the Sharks, should be great. We could go get dinner with Chowder afterwards, he hasn’t seen the kids for ages.”

“Jack, babe, I’d love to come, but Noah –”

“Bitty, come on, just bring him. Please? It’s an afternoon game, the kids won’t even be out past their bedtimes. Plus, I’m sure that Gabi wants to come.” He bites his lip, fighting a grin, and slowly raises his eyebrows. He clearly knows that he’s pulled the trump card.

Their daughter is a hockey _fiend_. She has every available Falconer figurine, wears her Habs baseball cap in the summer and beanie in the winter, and has jerseys for all of her favourite players. Many of whom happen to be family friends, but that’s neither here nor there. She even got her grandpa’s jersey for her last birthday, although that did come in a frame with a plaque. She’ll appreciate it one day.

“I’ll text Chowder and see if he’s free. And I’ll have management put two tickets aside for you. Just think about it, please?”

“Of course I’ll think about it, babe. Have a good game. We’ll see you afterwards, OK?”

Jack stretches as he gets up from the couch, handing Noah back to Bitty, who settles into a more comfortable position. “OK. I love you, Bits.”

“I love you, too.”

Jack smiles gently before touching something on the console in the hallway and shutting the front door.

* * *

It’s almost time to go. Bitty has hustled through the shower, packed a diaper bag, woken a still-grumpy Noah up from his nap and gotten him dressed in outside-world-appropriate clothes. There’s just one thing missing.

“Gabi?”

He can hear music playing upstairs, so he puts on his game voice and tries again. “Gabi?”

A little voice comes drifting down to him. “Hi Daddy! I’m just dancing to music right now.”

Bitty sighs before calling back, “Gabi Rose, I need you at the bottom of the stairs in one minute, please.”

The music stops and he hears a few doors slam before his daughter finally comes barrelling down the stairs in a Sharks jersey, patterned leggings and fairy wings.

Bitty knows that he has to pick his battles, so he just smiles and says, “Gabi, sweetheart, we’re going to watch Papa play. Are you sure that you don’t want to wear his jersey? Or someone else on the Falcs?”

Gabi’s face wrinkles in confusion. “But aren’t they playing the Sharks today?”

“Yes, but –”

“So I need to wear Uncle Chris’s jersey. Papa knows that I love him, but everyone needs reminding sometimes and I make sure to remind him every night, and I haven’t seen Uncle Chris for _so long_ and if he sees then he’ll remember I love him. Plus, sharks are so cool, did you know that they sometimes lose their teeth and then people find them and make them into _necklaces_? When I lose my first tooth, it would be pretty cool to get it made into a necklace, but then maybe the tooth fairy wouldn’t give me anything and I’m saving for –”

Bitty is hesitant to cut off this monologue, which is honestly the cutest thing he’s seen all week. Silently wishing he’d filmed it from the beginning so he could send it to Chowder, he decides that this battle is not worth picking. “You look lovely, sweetheart. And I’m not sure about your tooth fairy question, let’s ask Papa after the game. Are you ready to go?”

Gabi runs to the coat rack next to the front door to grab her Habs beanie, then kisses her pointer and middle fingers before touching them to the photo of their family standing on the console. She knows how important game day traditions are.

Bitty rolls his eyes, but leaves a kiss on the photo too. Better safe than sorry.

* * *

Gabi has watched more hockey in her five years than most people will see in a lifetime, and it shows. At one point, she stands up on her seat to cheer for her father, but the excitement in her voice quickly changes to an angry roar when the puck is inconsiderately stolen from him. She heckles along with the best of them, which should be more of a worry than it is.

Bitty, for his own part, is just trying to keep Noah occupied. The baby is strapped to his father’s chest, chatting to himself. Bitty pulls out a toy from the diaper bag and hands it to Noah, who grabs it with glee and promptly throws it on the floor.

When he notices that Gabi is standing on her seat, he sighs in resignation. “Sit down, sweetheart.”

“But Papa just –”

“I’m sure whatever Papa did was excellent, honey. But if you’re going to cheer for him, I need you to have both feet on the floor, please.”

Gabi does what she’s told, but is clearly frustrated that her father is not paying attention. “It wasn’t excellent, Daddy, he was twenty feet from the goal but then that _guy_ from the other team took the puck! And he would have scored but then he lost it because Josh stopped him, and then it went down to the Falcs end but Uncle Chris stopped it!”

When the period ends and the players make their way off the ice, Gabi takes the opportunity to ask, “Can we go and see Papa now?” She hasn’t been to a game since Noah was born and she’s itching for the whole experience.

“I think Papa might have other things to be worrying about, honey. Should we send him a selfie so he can see that we’re having fun?”

Bitty holds up his phone and Gabi grins widely at the camera. Bitty pulls a face over the top of Noah’s head. When Gabi has approved it, it is sent to her father. His reply comes through a few minutes later.

 **Jack:** Did you even attempt to veto that outfit? What a traitor.

Bitty chuckles. Gabi, who is only just starting to learn the alphabet, apparently feels very left out because she starts up a chant of, “What did he say? What did he say?”

Bitty smiles at her. “He said that he loves your outfit. What should I write back? Should I tell him that you’re wearing it for Uncle Chris?”

“Yes, and tell him about the shark teeth.”

He sends back a quick, _It’s for Chowder, she wanted to make sure that he hasn’t forgotten her_

 **Jack** : I hate how adorable that is.

Bitty smirks. _I knowwwwwwwwwwww_

* * *

The second period gets underway. The game has been 0-0, but Jack scores with about five minutes to go, finally breaking the tie. The loudest voice in the room is definitely his daughter’s, who could not have been more excited if her birthday was on Christmas. Bitty whips out his phone to take a quick video of her victory dance, and posts it to his Facebook wall without her noticing.

The increased noise wakes Noah who had been dozing. He starts to whimper, and Bitty bounces him gently as he searches through the diaper bag for a bottle. “Oh honey, I know it’s loud, but your papa really wanted me to be here for this game and we both thought that you were ready, I’m sorry if we were wrong. You’re honestly doing so well, just give me a minute and I’ll have a bottle for you and then you can go back to sleep.”

He finally finds the bottle, manoeuvres it into Noah’s mouth, takes the baby out of his sling and finally sits back in his seat, exhausted. The Bittle household is loud at the best of times, but it honestly has nothing on the hubbub of an arena. It’s been a few months and, somehow, he’s forgotten. It’s usually his favourite noise in the world, but today it’s verging on overwhelming.

A massive roar goes around the hall and Noah starts wailing. Bitty sighs, putting the bottle back into the bag before cradling Noah to his chest. He’s brought back to reality by the indignant shouts of the little girl in the seat next to him.

“You meanie! You … tool! Don’t touch my papa, my daddy doesn’t let anyone be mean to anyone but especially to our family and when he finds out he’s going to be so disappointed in you –”

“Gabi, what did you call him?”

She has the good graces to look ashamed for a moment before she gathers herself up to proclaim, “A _tool_. Uncle Shitty said that it’s a bad word but that we can use it when we’re watching hockey if another player does something mean to our team and really deserves it. And hurting Papa is very mean.”

“Wait, wait, go back. What did he do?”

“He checked Papa into the boards. Look, he’s still hasn’t stood up yet!”

Bitty jumps out of his seat and peers over the crowd to see Jack getting back onto his feet. His husband looks shaken and makes his way slowly, gingerly, over to the bench. Someone opens the door for him and Bitty’s heart falls into his boots. Jack always jumps the boards.

There are only two minutes left in the period. The second the siren blows, Bitty turns to Gabi and says, in the most enthusiastic voice he can muster, “Do you want to go and visit Papa now?”

Gabi literally punches the air with excitement, and they hustle their way along the row and down the stairs, towards the box.

The issue with sitting in the family section is that everyone around him knows who is he and where he’s going. “Eric, I’m sure he’s fine,” comes one voice from down the row. Eric stops to see the wife of one of Jack’s teammates looking worriedly in his direction. He stops for a second, and Gabi takes the opportunity to say hi to one of her friends.

Bitty smiles tightly. “Thanks, Eliza, but I’d rather just get down there and see for myself.”

When they finally get to the corner of the box, Bitty taps on the glass, then turns around to check that he’s still got Gabi. When he turns back, the team’s manager is standing in front of him. “He’s in the locker room, if you want to come through. He should be able to go on for the third period, but we thought it was best to get him checked out before he does anything else.”

Gabi is too busy being excited about going into the locker room that she doesn’t notice that her dad’s face has gone deathly white at the sight of his husband sitting on a stretcher in the trainers’ corner, having his pupils checked. Jarrod Smith, Eliza’s husband and a close friend of Jack’s, runs over to hug Bitty roughly. “He’s going to be just fine, they just wanted to check he wasn’t concussed. Leave Gabi with me.”

Bitty sighs, relieved, before kneeling down to talk to his daughter. “Gabi, sweetheart, Jarrod’s going to take you to talk to the coaches while I talk to Papa. Pay close attention, OK?”

Gabi grabs Jarrod’s hand and heads off, telling him something about ‘words we’re not allowed to say unless there’s a mean hockey player, but Daddy says that even then sometimes they’re not OK’. Bitty takes the opportunity to jog over to Jack, who is rolling his eyes at something he’s just been told. He looks shocked when he sees Bitty walking over, but that shock is quickly replaced with fond frustration.

“Bits, babe, I’m fine. I don’t know why they even let you come down, it’s honestly just a bump. I’m going back on next period.”

Bitty turns to the doctor, already lining up his barrage of questions. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? What if he’s injured anywhere else? This could take him off the ice for any number of games, he’s not as young as he used to be! Have you double checked everything?”

Noah, upset by Bitty’s tone, begins to fuss in his arms. Jack reaches over and pulls Noah against his chest, rocking him gently. This draws Bitty’s attention from the doctor, who gratefully escapes.

“Jack, that’s disgusting. You’re all sweaty.”

Jack just nuzzles the top of Noah’s head before speaking to him in a very serious tone. “You don’t mind, do you, baby? No, you don’t! Your daddy is getting all worried because someone bumped me on the ice. Sometimes he forgets that it’s my job to get bumped on the ice, because he’s silly. Not like you, you’re the smartest one in this family. How could you be anything but, considering all of the History Channel we’ve watched together?” He pulls a face at Noah, who pulls one back, and they sit there blowing bubbles at each other for a moment before Bitty interrupts.

“Please stop being adorable. Honestly, sweetheart, I’m just worried about you!”

“I’m fine, Eric.” When Jack pulls the ‘Eric’ card, Bitty knows that whatever he’s saying is serious. “They wouldn’t send me back on if they didn’t think I was OK. I’m an asset to them, they’re not going to let me injure myself when there’s a bunch of other people who can do my job just as well.”

“Almost as well.”

“Yes, thanks, babe. Fine, almost as well.” Jack looks around, as if just noticing that they’re one child down. “Wait, where’s Gabi?”

After a few seconds of searching, they find her sitting happily on Jarrod’s shoulders, paying an unforseen amount attention to the brief strategy meeting that’s being held over the other side of the room.

“Maybe that’s the secret,” Jack whispers to Bitty. “We can just tell her about her chores like they’re strategy. ‘Bittle, dishes in the sink’. ‘Bittle, I need you to make sure you get those toys away before all hell breaks loose’.”

Bitty snorts. “Speaking of hell, your daughter’s godfather is teaching her dirty words again. I know he doesn’t mean it but it’s getting out of control.”

Jack tries hard not to laugh. “What was it this time?”

“She called the guy that checked you a tool because he hurt you, ‘and we’re allowed to call people tools during hockey games if someone does something mean to someone on our team’.”

“Look, to be fair to Shitty, at least he put parameters on it. And that guy _was_ a bit of a tool. Chowder’s told me he’s got a real reputation, he’s trying to work with him but it’s tough. You know, young guy with something to prove.”

Bitty raises his eyebrows in mock confusion. “You know, I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.”

Jack grins. “Neither do I.” He passes Noah back to Bitty with a kiss to the baby’s head, then heaves himself off the table, straightening out his knees and wincing softly. He’s almost ready to retire – another season and he’ll be done. Some days, he’s confessed quietly to Bitty, he feels like he’s there.

Bitty kisses him softly. “Play safe, OK? Just come home in one piece.”

Jack smiles. “I always do.”

* * *

When Jack is finally up and skating again, and Gabi’s attention has been recaptured by the game, Bitty sighs and reaches for his phone, trying not to wake up his sleeping baby. “Siri, text Shitty Knight: _If you teach my daughter one more dirty word, I will tell Lardo and she will end you_.”

**Author's Note:**

> if you so desire, come chat about how shitty somehow manages to balance being a corporate lawyer with being the cool uncle with me on [tumblr](http://murrayhewitt.tumblr.com).


End file.
